Ex-AUM member Endo apologizes to sarin attack victims

Kyodo/September 11, 2001

Tokyo -- Seiichi Endo, a former senior member of the AUM Shinrikyo cult, broke his silence Tuesday about the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack he is accused of helping mastermind, and apologized to the victims during his trial at the Tokyo District Court.

Endo, 41, told the court, ''It is true that sarin (gas) our people produced was used in the subway attack. I feel sorry for the victims and the victims' families.''

Endo had previously refused to testify about the attack in his trial or when appearing as a witness at hearings of other indicted AUM members.

He admitted he was involved in manufacturing the sarin at the order of cult founder Shoko Asahara, 46, and Hideo Murai, a senior AUM member who is now dead.